StreetPass

StreetPass is a built-in wireless feature exclusive to the Nintendo 3DS. When two 3DS devices that are either turned on or in stand-by mode are within range of each other, they will receive messages, games, and other data. It is similar to SpotPass, which allows the 3DS console to connect to other 3DS consoles over the internet as well as download Distributed Items.

StreetPass is utilized in New Leaf to add homes to the Happy Home Showcase, which displays the homes of other players. It also can cause villagers from StreetPassed players' towns to move to the player's town if there is a vacancy.

If several people have been tagged through StreetPass, the chalkboard sign outside of Re-Tail will list additional premium items.

The final image obtained for completing the New Leaf streepass puzzle.

Happy Home Showcase

The Happy Home Showcase is a location in the player's town, that can be accessed through the arch in the center of Main Street, opposite the Train Tracks.

StreetPass allows the player to access the houses of other players in other towns, who have StreetPass enabled on their console and allow it to share their data. The Showcase and the data it uses are all anonymous.

There are 48 spaces inside the Showcase for houses to be added to, with the ability to save 16 as favorites. Once all 48 spaces have been filled, the game will remove the homes least visited (unless they were marked as favorites) and replace them with new ones.

The profile of each player currently inside the Showcase also contains their Dream-ID, if they had one when the Streetpass occurred.

The owners of each house will be seen walking around the outside the house, and will hold an item which correlates to the number of times that house and the Nintendo 3DS it belongs to has been StreetPassed. The first time a house has been added to the Showcase, the player that relates to that building will not be holding an item. However, from the second time onwards the player will be found holding an item.

These items are:

Balloon (2nd time)

Balloon (3rd time)

Pinwheel (4th time)

Bunny Balloon (5th time)

Bubble Blower (6th time)

Heart Balloon (7th time)

Ice Cream (8th time)

Soft Serve Ice Cream (9th time)

Tweeter (10th time)

The color or flavor for each item is from a random selection.

Starting on 11th time, the items will start over from the top of the list and repeat.

When visiting the house of another player, the player can not pick up the items of another player, but can buy some of the furniture that they own, albeit at a much higher price.

This only works for items which can normally be ordered from the catalog, and the streetpass balloons. While the balloons cannot be ordered from the Nook catalogue, they can be ordered from the HH Showcase model houses if you streetpass a mayor with balloons in their house.

Activating StreetPass

StreetPass must be activated on the console in order for it to receive and transmit house data. This done by following these steps:

Switching on the wireless features by turning the switch on the right-hand side of the console onto the "on" position. A yellow light will appear above the switch.